These bikes were not gifts. Each one was the reward for a job well done.

At 7:45 a.m., pupils from kindergarten through third grade arrived at the school with their parents. They were fitted with helmets and led to the bicycles, which were adjusted to fit each rider's height.

"We're all about education," Roberts explained. "Every child signs a contract to improve their literacy."

When Elves and More started in 2001, founder David Moore was focused on the Christmas holiday.

He wanted to give to individuals in need - and make the holiday something special. Instead of adopting a family for Christmas, he adopted a neighborhood - 23 families that included 110 kids.

In 2002, Moore decided to up the ante - and give to more families in need. It didn't take long for Moore to realize that bicycles were the most requested gift.

In 2003, he reached 10,000 children, and bicycles accounted for about 80 percent of all gifts.

Then in 2004, Elves and More was born - an official nonprofit organization with a mission of gifting 25,000 children in the greater Houston area each year.

The group also began talking about extending its efforts beyond the holiday season.

"We really decided it would be good to bring this to the schools," Roberts said.

Instead of focusing on Christmas, the group decided to build a program around literacy.

Schools could sign up for bicycle donations - if they were Title 1 and were enthusiastic about the program.

Pupils are eligible for a bicycle if they pledge to improve their reading skills. Struggling pupils try to read on their grade level, while pupils already reading at grade level are challenged to excel further.

"Each child sets a specific goal," Roberts said. "They have to keep their reading up. The teacher signs the contract to help, and the parents sign a contract to help at home."

130,000 bicycles

To date, Elves and More has given away 130,000 bicycles.

This year alone, the organization awarded 8,000 bikes to students from the Waller, Klein, Conroe, Aldine, Spring, Lamar Consolidated and Houston school districts.

Klenk Elementary, located at 6111 Bourgeois Road, was the only school in Klein ISD to participate in the program. Klenk was a perfect candidate, Roberts said.

She said the teachers were more than enthusiastic about the project – as was principal Sandra Simi.

"We certainly want to give our students an incentive to improve," Simi said.

"Everyone can improve no matter what their reading level is."

Some students went up one level in their ability, while others pushed themselves to go up three, she added.

Happy children

Simi said that she has never seen so many happy children as she did on Dec. 14.

"They all came in with smiling faces," she said. "There were tears and laughter. People clapped, and it was just wonderful. We had a big celebration."

Simi said the children learned about setting goals and self-motivation.

"Getting a bike is great," she said.

"What they felt inside, and the goals they met, that was the most important thing."

Roberts said that she hosts an assembly to boost the students' excitement about reading.

She tells them, "We already have a bike with your name on it.

"It's up to you to lose it."

Roberts said it is easier to win a bicycle than not.

"All they have to do is do what they are supposed to," she said.

The requirements to earn bikes are simply to raise the reading level and to have good behavior and attendance.

Because the pupils really want a new ride, they tend to exceed their goals, Roberts said.

"They really go all out," she said.

Every year, donations from large corporations make the give-away possible, Roberts said.

Exxon, Shell, Enterprise and other employees and volunteers have been putting bicycles together at Reliant Center since Dec. 1 for the thousands of students around Houston participating in the program.

They work on the bicycles and then load them on trucks for distribution to the schools.

"We finish this year, and then we need to start buying new bikes," Roberts said. "It's amazing."